Splash Shield Assembly

ABSTRACT

A splash shield assembly for blocking splashes from a toilet bowl includes a pair of first panels and a pair of couplers. Each coupler is coupled to a respective first panel proximate to a first end of the respective first panel. The first coupler is configured to couple to a toilet seat proximate to a respective opposing edge of the toilet seat so that the respective first panel extends substantially perpendicularly from a lower face of the toilet seat. The first panel is configured, with the toilet seat in a raised position, to shield an area proximate to an associated opposing side of a toilet, to which the toilet seat is hingedly coupled, from splashes that originate from a bowl of the toilet.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR ASA TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Descriptionof Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and1.98

The disclosure and prior art relates to shield assemblies and moreparticularly pertains to a new shield assembly for blocking splashesfrom a toilet bowl.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above bygenerally comprising a pair of first panels and a pair of couplers. Eachcoupler is coupled to a respective first panel proximate to a first endof the respective first panel. The first coupler is configured to coupleto a toilet seat proximate to a respective opposing edge of the toiletseat so that the respective first panel extends substantiallyperpendicularly from a lower face of the toilet seat. The first panel isconfigured, with the toilet seat in a raised position, to shield an areaproximate to an associated opposing side of a toilet, to which thetoilet seat is hingedly coupled, from splashes that originate from abowl of the toilet.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the disclosure in order that the detailed descriptionthereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that thepresent contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There areadditional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features ofnovelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisdisclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than thoseset forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front isometric perspective view of a splash shield assemblyaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a rear isometric perspective view of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 3 is a side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an isometric perspective in-use view of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 5 is an isometric perspective in-use view of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through5 thereof, a new shield assembly embodying the principles and conceptsof an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by thereference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the splash shield assembly 10generally comprises a pair of first panels 12 and a pair of couplers 14.Each first panel 12 is substantially quadrant shaped so that the firstpanel 12 comprises a first edge 16, a second edge 18, and a third edge20, as shown in FIG. 2. The first edge 16 is perpendicular to the secondedge 18. The third edge 20 extends arcuately between the first edge 16and the second edge 18. The first panel 12 is substantially planar. Thefirst panel 12 comprises paperboard so that the first panel 12 is rigid.

Each of a pair of second panels 22 is coupled to and extendsperpendicularly from a first end 24 of a respective first panel 12, asshown in FIG. 2. The second panel 22 is substantially rectangularlyshaped. The second panel 22 comprises paperboard so that the secondpanel 22 is rigid.

Each coupler 14 is coupled to a respective first panel 12 proximate tothe first end 24 of the respective first panel 12. The first coupler 14is configured to couple to a toilet seat 26 proximate to a respectiveopposing edge 28 of the toilet seat 26 so that the respective firstpanel 12 extends substantially perpendicularly from a lower face 30 ofthe toilet seat 26, as shown in FIG. 3. The first panel 12 isconfigured, with the toilet seat 26 in a raised position as shown inFIG. 4, to shield an area proximate to an associated opposing side of atoilet, to which the toilet seat 26 is hingedly coupled, from splashesthat originate from a bowl of the toilet. When the toilet seat 26 is ina lowered position, as shown in FIG. 5, each first panel 12 isinconspicuously positioned adjacent to an associated opposing side ofthe toilet.

Each first coupler 14 comprises a first strip 32 that is coupled to anouter face 38 of a respective second panel 22, as shown in FIG. 2. Thefirst strip 32 comprises adhesive so that the first strip 32 isconfigured to adhesively couple to the lower face 30 of the toilet seat26, to couple the respective second panel 22 to the toilet seat 26, sothat an associated first panel 12 is positioned substantiallyperpendicularly to the lower face 30 of the toilet seat 26. After anumber of uses, the first panels 12 can be removed from the toilet seat26 and a fresh pair of first panels 12 can be coupled to the toilet seat26 using the first strips 32.

Each of a pair of second strips 34 is removably couplable to arespective first strip 32, as shown in FIG. 2. The second strip 34 isconfigured to prevent inadvertent adhesion of the respective first strip32. The second strip 34 is positioned to be decoupled from therespective first strip 32 so that the first strip 32 is configured toadhesively couple to the lower face 30 of the toilet seat 26.

Each of a pair of cutouts 36 is positioned in a respective second panel22 proximate to an associated first panel 12, as shown in FIG. 2. Thecutout 36 is configured to insert a rim of the toilet as the toilet seat26 is raised, positioning a section 38 of the associated first panel 12below the rim of the toilet. The cutout 36 is rectangularly shaped.

In use, the pair of first panels 12 is coupled to the toilet seat 26using the first strips 32. When the toilet seat 26 is raised, the firstpanels 12 are positioned singly adjacent to the opposing sides of thetoilet. The first panels 12 are configured to shield the areas proximateto the opposing sides of the toilet from splashes that originate fromthe bowl of the toilet.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodimentenabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials,shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, aredeemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and allequivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings anddescribed in the specification are intended to be encompassed by anembodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thedisclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used inits non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word areincluded, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. Areference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not excludethe possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless thecontext clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.

I claim:
 1. A splash shield assembly comprising: a pair of first panels;and a pair of couplers, each coupler being coupled to a respective firstpanel proximate to a first end of the respective first panel, the firstcoupler being configured for coupling to a toilet seat proximate to arespective opposing edge of the toilet seat such that the respectivefirst panel extends substantially perpendicularly from a lower face ofthe toilet seat wherein the first panel is configured, with the toiletseat in a raised position, for shielding an area proximate to anassociated opposing side of a toilet, to which the toilet seat ishingedly coupled, from splashes originating from a bowl of the toilet.2. The assembly of claim 1, further including each first panel beingsubstantially quadrant shaped such that the first panel comprises afirst edge, a second edge, and a third edge, the first edge beingperpendicular to the second edge, the third edge extending arcuatelybetween the first edge and the second edge.
 3. The assembly of claim 1,further including the first panel being substantially planar.
 4. Theassembly of claim 1, further including the first panel comprisingpaperboard such that the first panel is rigid.
 5. The assembly of claim1, further comprising: a pair of second panels, each second panel beingcoupled to and extending perpendicularly from the first end of arespective first panel; and each first coupler comprising a first stripcoupled to an outer face of a respective second panel, the first stripcomprising adhesive wherein the first strip is configured for adhesivelycoupling to the lower face of the toilet seat for coupling therespective second panel to the toilet seat positioning an associatedfirst panel substantially perpendicularly to the lower face of thetoilet seat.
 6. The assembly of claim 5, further including the secondpanel being substantially rectangularly shaped.
 7. The assembly of claim5, further including the second panel comprising paperboard such thatthe second panel is rigid.
 8. The assembly of claim 5, further includinga pair of second strips, each second strip being removably couplable toa respective first strip wherein the second strip is configured forpreventing inadvertent adhesion of the respective first strip and suchthat the second strip is positioned for decoupling from the respectivefirst strip wherein the first strip is configured for adhesivelycoupling to the lower face of the toilet seat.
 9. The assembly of claim5, further including a pair of cutouts, each cutout being positioned ina respective second panel proximate to an associated first panel whereinthe cutout is configured for inserting a rim of the toilet as the toiletseat is raised positioning a section of the associated first panel belowthe rim of the toilet.
 10. The assembly of claim 9, further includingthe cutout being rectangularly shaped.
 11. A splash shield assembly andtoilet seat combination comprising: a toilet seat hingedly coupled to atoilet; and a pair of first panels, each first panel being coupled tothe toilet seat proximate to a respective opposing edge of the toiletseat such that the first panel extends substantially perpendicularlyfrom a lower face of the toilet seat wherein the first panel isconfigured, with the toilet seat in a raised position, for shielding anarea proximate to an associated opposing side of the toilet fromsplashes originating from a bowl of the toilet.
 12. A splash shieldassembly comprising: a pair of first panels, each first panel beingsubstantially quadrant shaped such that the first panel comprises afirst edge, a second edge, and a third edge, the first edge beingperpendicular to the second edge, the third edge extending arcuatelybetween the first edge and the second edge, the first panel beingsubstantially planar, the first panel comprising paperboard such thatthe first panel is rigid; a pair of second panels, each second panelbeing coupled to and extending perpendicularly from a first end of arespective first panel, the second panel being substantiallyrectangularly shaped, the second panel comprising paperboard such thatthe second panel is rigid; a pair of couplers, each coupler beingcoupled to a respective first panel proximate to the first end of therespective first panel, the first coupler being configured for couplingto a toilet seat proximate to a respective opposing edge of the toiletseat such that the respective first panel extends substantiallyperpendicularly from a lower face of the toilet seat wherein the firstpanel is configured, with the toilet seat in a raised position, forshielding an area proximate to an associated opposing side of a toilet,to which the toilet seat is hingedly coupled, from splashes originatingfrom a bowl of the toilet, each first coupler comprising a first stripcoupled to an outer face of a respective second panel, the first stripcomprising adhesive wherein the first strip is configured for adhesivelycoupling to the lower face of the toilet seat for coupling therespective second panel to the toilet seat positioning an associatedfirst panel substantially perpendicularly to the lower face of thetoilet seat; a pair of second strips, each second strip being removablycouplable to a respective first strip wherein the second strip isconfigured for preventing inadvertent adhesion of the respective firststrip and such that the second strip is positioned for decoupling fromthe respective first strip wherein the first strip is configured foradhesively coupling to the lower face of the toilet seat; and a pair ofcutouts, each cutout being positioned in a respective second panelproximate to an associated first panel wherein the cutout is configuredfor inserting a rim of the toilet as the toilet seat is raisedpositioning a section of the associated first panel below the rim of thetoilet, the cutout being rectangularly shaped.